


Seeing is Believing

by DrKnow



Series: Seeing is Believing [1]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-28
Updated: 2014-10-27
Packaged: 2018-02-22 22:57:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2524790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrKnow/pseuds/DrKnow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Root's escape at the end of Prophets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I promise

**Author's Note:**

> The introduction of another Machine warrior and possible foil for Shaw.

Root dropped the two 9mils and shouted, “Kill me if you can!”

She began to run through the thinning smoke, making her way down the service corridor adjacent to the lobby, hopefully towards the service entrance that spilled out into an alleyway that was highlighted on the shadow map. She felt a presence close behind her as a single shot rang out and she was suddenly pulled to her left into an alcove. A strong arm wrapped around her waist from the left and a hand gently covered her mouth from the right. Warm breath settled on her neck and a soft alto whispered in her left ear, “Stay quiet. Don’t move. We won’t be seen.”

They stood there, motionless, breathlessly still for what seemed like an eternity. Root’s breathing leveled, the heaving of her chest settling as the strong arms held her. Eventually she heard a single reassuring word from Her, “Safe”.

In the same moment that she heard that word the hand dropped from her mouth and her protector’s left hand guided her to turn around. She looked into an unfamiliar face. Crystal blue eyes danced on the face that shone with a slight smile. “I’m Andi. The Machine sent me. I’ll answer all of your questions later. Right now we need to get some place that I can take better care of you.”

Root blinked. She started to take a step forward and felt her knees give way a little. The hand of her uninjured arm instinctively reached forward toward the shoulder that was still only inches away from her. Her hand came to rest on the dark fabric, it felt sticky and warm. She realized then that the single shot that she had heard had found a target. The shoulder in front of her was at the height of her own heart. She recoiled in shock and a look of fear filled her eyes. She wasn’t sure what was happening, whether any of the last few moments were real. Calm recognition registered on Andi’s face. “I’m okay. Really. But we need to go.”

Before they began to move Root’s protector swiftly placed a jacket around her bare shoulders and pulled her in from the left, shielding her injured shoulder and giving her support. “Lean into me. Keep your head down towards my shoulder. Let your hair fall across your face a little.”

Andi seemed to be looking intently for something that wasn’t there as they moved back into the corridor, but no step was taken with the least bit of hesitation and they made their way out an auxiliary door and into the night air. They walked a few blocks and stopped by a black Audi TTS where Andi opened the passenger door and helped Root settle into the seat, leaning in and reaching across her to secure her seatbelt. After they pulled away from the curb Root noticed that the sleeve of the right arm of Andi’s sweater was soaked through and blood was running down through every finger and over a large silver band on the ring finger. Root felt nauseous and lightheaded. Normally, she was unmoved by the sight of blood. But, a stranger had never intervened on her behalf before, much less taken a bullet for her. At the next traffic light Andi turned to her, the slight smile returned to the lips that spoke, “Don’t worry. I’ll be alright and so will you. I promise.”

Root felt a jolt, like lightening to her chest and she lost her breath for a moment. All those years ago, only one person had ever tried to calm her fears and promised her protection. And, in the end it was a promise neither of them could keep.


	2. But what about you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Safe haven.

They drove only a short distance, or so it seemed, and entered an underground garage that was protected by two secure gates that Andi activated via coded entry from the dash of the car. There were less than a dozen designated parking spaces with adjacent storage areas and individual elevators. Each space was either unoccupied or contained a high end vehicle. Andi smoothly pulled into a space at the back left corner of the garage. Turning to Root, Andi's slight smile was still present on both lips and voice, “Wait, I’ll help you.” And before Root seemed to even take another breath the passenger door was opening and Andi’s soft, warm left hand reached across released the seatbelt, took Root’s left hand and guided her whole body to turn in the seat and steady herself before rising to get out of the car. Root noticed the scent of something both woodsy and faintly tropical as she stood and leaned into Andi’s side once again.

A few steps clear of the car door Andi shut the door with a little kick to the rear and for a moment Root felt like she was dancing. Then Root heard the electronic tone of the car’s security system. At the elevator Andi leaned in to establish a clear view of the retinal scanner. Another electronic tone rung out and they entered the elevator. Andi’s left arm only released its reassuring grasp of Root’s waist to press the button by a single star. The elevator car rose past an unknown number of floors and when the door finally opened it was obvious that it was the top floor of the building. The city lights flooded in from walls of windows before them and to the right, and while the building wasn’t particularly tall, the view of the city was spectacular. Of all of the places that She had ever sent Root to as a safe haven this was the most impressive. Andi guided Root to the far left of a huge open loft space towards the kitchen area, directing her to sit at the island. Andi took the jacket from around Root’s shoulders and tossed it to the side and then knelt before her and took off her boots and socks. Then Andi crossed the kitchen area in a swift, fluid motion and returned with a pair of utility scissors. Moving again to Root’s right Andi supported her weight as they moved directly across from the kitchen area and through one of two doors in front of them. This movement brought them into a small bedroom with a bath to the right. Entering the bath Andi guided Root to sit on a bench.

Kneeling in front of Root the smile returned as Andi looked up into Root’s eyes and began to speak, “Let’s get you cleaned up and a little more comfortable and then I’ll take a look at your wounds. I’m going to cut your shirt and bra free and I’ll help you take them off if you want me to. The shower has a bench where you can sit, if you need to. If you don’t think that you are steady enough to bathe on your own I’ll stay and help you. There is a pair of shower shoes and a robe here in the bathroom for you, and there are pajamas or a gown, your choice, for you in the bedroom. If you bathe on your own and need some help dressing you can just wrap up in a towel and wait for me. Don’t strain yourself. Please let me help you if you need it.”  And then Andi added a little wink to the still present smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t bite even if you ask me to. I’m going to get started now. Okay?” Looking at Andi’s now blood soaked sleeve and sticky hand, Root gasped a little. Suddenly she realized that she hadn’t spoken since she had offered herself as a sacrifice to Samaritan, and she was surprised by the mousey sound of her own voice as she barely whispered, “But what about you?” 


	3. The Machine talked to Andi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting cleaned up.

Andi’s smile widened, “Let’s get you started first.” And before Root had even taken a breath Andi had freed her of the constraints of her shirt and bra. Standing, Andi offered, “Should I stay?” Root considered the offer, so obviously made with respect. Modesty was not a driving force with her, after all not even a day ago she had shed the skin of her most recent persona in front of Harold. But this felt different and she bowed her head and whispered, “I’ll be alright alone.” Even though she wasn’t really sure that she would be, she felt like she had to prove some measure of strength to anyone who was watching. With a nod Andi’s smile softened, “Okay. I’m going to go clean myself up then, but I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. Shout out if you need anything.” Gliding out of the room Andi turned on the shower as a final gesture.

It was a point of pride for Root to bathe and dress herself but both acts were painful and although she hadn’t lost much blood, certainly not the volume that Andi seemed to have lost, she still felt weak and light-headed. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror and she wasn’t sure that she recognized the woman who was looking back at her. Earlier Harold had spoken of how communicating with the Machine brought so much life to her and even Shaw had called her out on her lack of affect. And here she was with some stranger who communicated with the Machine and was smiling all the while. But Root couldn’t find it in herself to smile as she looked in the mirror, at least not until the smile and crystal blue eyes reappeared from behind her and a warm, soft hand rested gently on her left shoulder.

“Feeling a little better? Sit down again, please, if you will?” Andi said, gesturing to the bench, “The light is better in here.” Root looked across the broad, sturdy shoulders, the right one now bandaged tightly. Periwinkle blue scrubs hugged narrow hips and a loose wife-beater covered Andi’s chest. Thick, short cropped hair was swept back off a face that was framed by a firm jaw and full pink cheeks that stood out in stark contrast to the penetrating blue eyes that had caught Root’s attention from their first glance. Andi reached in the cabinet beneath the sink and pulled out a couple of boxes that looked like tool kits. Indeed they did contain a variety of tools, medical tools. Root had chosen a sleeveless pajama top and Andi looked briefly at her exposed right shoulder and then pulled up the shirt to look at the wound just above her left hip. With a surprising economy of motion, suture materials, antiseptic, gauze, dressings, syringes and lidocaine, morphine, and antibiotics were all neatly laid out on the counter beside them. And then Andi took a penlight and flicked the light into Root’s eyes, this act drawing Root’s eyes directly to Andi’s and their gaze lasted so long that Root felt as if she had actually lost her breath and her head began to swim. This was followed by Andi tenderly holding Root’s left hand while prodding her nail beds to check for capillary refill time and any internal bleeding.

Just as efficiently, Andi donned two pairs of sterile gloves and began to thoroughly clean Root’s wounds. “I’m sorry, this will hurt, at least a little. Eventually we’ll get you into a sling for support. I know that you don’t like needles very much but I’m going to need to give you something to ease the discomfort and help prevent infection. I’m sure that you know all of this, and I don’t mean to be condescending, I just want you to be comfortable with everything that I have to do.” Root flinched a little at the realization that Andi knew about Control and the rollercoaster ride of injections and a deep sadness entered her eyes. The Machine talked to Andi, but not to her!


	4. Could you...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Settling in.

Andi continued to work on Root, slowly and methodically, explaining in detail each action, offering reassurances and warnings as injections were given and sutures were placed and dressings applied. Finally, Andi helped Root stand and led her to the bedroom. The left side of the bed had been turned down and on the nightstand there was a tray with a pot of tea with wedges of lemon, a small urn of honey, and finger sandwiches. Root looked at the tray and thought of Harold and how tea was such a proper and civil gesture. Just before Root sat on the edge of the bed Andi reached behind her and placed something on the pillow, winked and smiled; saying in a bad English accent, “A wafer-thin mint.” Root picked up the confection, startled by how soft and warm the sheets felt beneath her fingers. If she hadn’t just been shot, whisked through back alleys into a basement garage and finally to the top floor of a super secure building she might have thought that she was about to settle in for a night at the Ritz.

Andi knelt down and helped Root lift her legs onto the bed without pulling at the sutures in her side. Root leaned back and settled in to the bed as Andi pulled the top sheet and downy comforter over her. She let out an audible sigh as Andi’s soft, warm hand flitted against her cheek as wisps of her hair were tucked behind her right ear. Andi's fingers lingered on the scare behind her ear and Root leaned in to the touch.

Turning to leave, Andi said with the barest hint of a smile to soften the tone, “You should rest now. Have a little tea, it’s chamomile, and eat a little something, I’ll leave the light dimmed in the bathroom for you.”  Root reached out for Andi’s hand, catching it in the tips of her fingers. Andi winced a little, not at the touch but at the slight tug at the shoulder that the movement between them caused. Root gasped as she looked up to find blood seeping through the bandage on Andi’s shoulder. Showing no continued discomfort, Andi turned to face her.

Root looked up into welcoming eyes and moistened lips curled ever so slightly at their corners. She swallowed hard and almost choked or her words, “Stay with me?” she said with a force that surprised them both as their eyes locked together as her words echoed with remarkable clarity. Andi didn’t blink but Root noticed that the welcome in those bluest of eyes was replaced by a fire burning with concern and she dropped her own eyes feeling foolish or fearful, she wasn’t sure which. And then, followed by what felt like a thundering spasm that nearly pulled her chest apart she barely whispered, “Please.”

Andi stayed riveted to the spot for several ticks of the clock that sat on the nightstand beside them. Finally, after a marked extended closing of eyes and a short nod, Andi moved to the bathroom and dimmed the light before returning to sit in the easy chair that was angled to the left of the bed. Andi started to reach for the tray and said, "Would you like some tea now, or I could get you something else?"

Root looked up and their eyes met again full on, closing the distance between them. She noticed that a small, soft smile had returned to Andi’ face and she tried to smile a little in return. She shook her head in the negative. She started to speak, a plea rising from a place so deep that she wasn’t even aware that it existed, “Could you…” she began, but she couldn’t find the words to express the want and the need that she wasn’t even aware that she had now or had ever truly had before. Root's tear filled eyes moved from Andi’s gaze and trailed to the side of the bed to her right.


	5. Decima

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who are you?

Root lay angled to her right side, finding it less uncomfortable to have her right shoulder sink into the pillow-topped mattress and Egyptian cotton sheets rather than baring her weight on her left hip. She had dipped her head under Andi’s arm and snuggled her cheek into the ribbed pattern of her savior’s wife-beater. The woodsy and tropical scent that she had noticed in the garage filled her head as she breathed in deeply. The fragrance reminded her of a mountain cabin and a breezy beach and memories of both escape and reward. The body beside her was a pleasing mélange of solid muscle and delicate flesh, the entire form so gentle and still that it felt as if Andi wasn’t even breathing. Root felt prickly and oddly electrified in her own skin as if her heart was about to beat wildly through the walls of her chest. Together they were a hurricane with raging, swirling winds of recklessness drawn into a center of calm. From the first moment, even as the impact of the final Samaritan bullet tore through Andi’s shoulder Root had been drawn in by the calm.

Even though calm wasn’t usually part of Root’s inner landscape, in all of the situations that she had ever found herself in before, none felt more foreign, and yet calm, than how she had felt since she was pulled into the alcove as she ran defenseless from Samaritan. Each moment since the final shot rang out had felt surreal and now as she held on to the Machine’s lifebuoy, even though she had more questions than answers, she felt what she imagined real calm to be and simultaneously less fearful and more alive than she had in months. “Safe”, that is what She had whispered as Andi’s arms dropped from around her in the alcove. “Safe.” Why was “safe” more important than any other directive or encouragement? Why hadn't She said more to her? Andi had seemed to hear it too. To be there at all, to have been “sent” there to help her She must have spoken to Andi even when She wasn’t speaking to Root. Running down that hotel corridor Root was both lost and found.

Andi’s hand brushed Root’s hair gently back behind her left ear and rested soft, warm fingers lightly on the crest of her shoulder. There was a security in the moment that Root didn’t want to breach but she inhaled deeply, holding her breath for a fleeting second before she threw herself into the void, “Who are you?”

Andi chuckled a little and took a deep breath, "I did promise to answer all of your questions, didn't I? I'm glad that you waited to get settled first. I'd offer you my hand in formal introduction, but it would be a tad bit awkward. Nonetheless, Anderson James, at your service, but I've always been known as Andi. The Machine refers to me as one of Her agents and much like you I can interface with Her. She told me that you prefer that pronoun and I agree that it is fitting. I'm a biomedical engineer, an MD/PhD. I should have told you that earlier maybe, so that you would feel more comfortable. I mean I know that you are used to Shaw. Well, anyway." Andi stuttered a bit and Root could feel Andi's heart rate and breathing change and both of them shifted slightly at the mention of Shaw's name.

Andi continued, "So, up until a few months ago my brother and I developed biomedical technology, our partnership was a lot like Harold's and Nathan Ingram's at IFT. I did the development behind the scenes and Justice, my brother, was the face of the company. He was quite the extrovert, a real ladies man, if you know what I mean. I'm not particularly shy but I am a bit more of an introvert and preferred the lab and more solitary endeavors. Anyway, in one of my more solitary endeavors I had an accident and lost an eye. It seemed only logical to me to develop a replacement and I did. In fact, I developed a good many implantable devices and augmentations over the years. We have brought several to market and did quite well for ourselves. We kept the company private. I didn't want to have to answer to stockholders and wanted to have greater control over a limited board of like minded individuals. I felt that it was important to have the fellow board members share our ethical positions. But, people change and several of our board members were compromised by a company - I believe that you are familiar with them, Decima Technologies." 


	6. I can see Samaritan too!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The eye in the fight.

Root let out an audible gasp and Andi pulled her closer, soothing her shoulder near her fresh wound. Silence filled the air until Root turned her head to find Andi's eyes. Andi nodded and continued, "Decima attempted a takeover. They didn't succeed traditionally but staged an accident at the my lab at our ranch in Colorado. Justice and my best friend and lab partner, Cyn, were killed. Justice and I were twins and it was assumed that I died too, from the DNA I presume - at least that was what was reported in the media. I was injured but I dug my way out of the debris and made my way to a remote cabin on our land. I stayed there for several weeks as I healed. I had seen the local sheriff with Decima's men and knew that I couldn't reveal myself. Over the years I had set up a variety of foundations, shell companies, small ventures, and had purchased real estate throughout the country and even abroad. I had set all of this up under a variety of aliases. I don't know why, I never really thought of myself as being particularly paranoid, but I always wanted to be able to escape, maybe even start over if I had to. Justice was a good man but he was careless and carefree. I thought that someday Cyn and I may have to distance ourselves from him and his reputation to continue our work. I thought that I needed a contingency plan." Andi paused and then said with obvious strain and sadness, "I never intended to run away and I never thought we'd be distanced by death."

Root's arm lay across Andi's  abdomen. With the word "death" she could feel Andi take in a deep breath and felt a sudden tightness and a rippling of taunt muscles through the thin fabric of the wife-beater. As Andi exhaled, even though she felt a twinge in her shoulder, Root pulled herself closer and spread her fingers across the vertical ribs of the wife-beater, holding Andi as tightly as she could. Andi responded in kind and when Root looked up she found tear filled eyes.

They stayed locked by the recognition of loss until Andi broke the silence, "One day, in the mountains I began to see things. Things that I shouldn't have been able to see; people, places, events, computer code, and other forms of text. At first I thought that I was losing my mind or that I was hallucinating from the pain or medication. And then I began to piece things together and realized that something, the Machine, was communicating with me and that I could communicate with Her too. Over time She told me about Herself and you, Harold, Shaw, Reese, and even Bear and Fusco. She told me about Samaritan and the coming war and the other things that Decima had done. She offered me the chance to join all of you in the fight. But before I could heal enough to join you, the world changed and so did I."

Andi was silent for a long time. Root didn't know whether she should ask any more questions or say anything at all. Hell, she didn't really even know what to ask! Root looked up again at Andi's face and when she did she offered a small smile and Andi continued, "We don't communicate as much as we did in the beginning. It appears that our communication isn't being seen but it is more vague now. I knew about all of you before I got here but I wanted to establish a base and a series of safe houses for you in the shadow zones before I contacted you. And I was trying to figure out a way to approach one of you in a manner that wouldn't perhaps blow your covers. I never imagined that our meeting would come, well, through such violent ends. But I'm glad that I was able to help you. Actually, you were the hardest one to keep up with since your identity changes every few days. I always thought that I would figure out a way to approach Harold first, especially since the Machine wants us to work together to use my eye in the fight."

Root shifted and looked Andi square in the eyes. She wondered which eye could see Her. Andi offered her no clue. But the now familiar smile told her that there was more and Andi leaned in, bringing their faces closely together and whispered, "I can see Samaritan too."


	7. A promise fulfilled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of the beginning.

Seeing the Machine? Seeing Samaritan? Root wondered whether she was dreaming. Andi broke the silence between them, “I don’t know what it all means either, except that even though we don’t have their resources, now together, we may have more than just hope.”

 

Andi changed positions and moved to face Root, although the space between them widened Root felt closer to Andi than she had to anyone in a long time. She had wanted to be this close to Shaw, had even needed to be this close to her, but she couldn’t bring herself to admit it to her. She had started to ask Harold to be sure that Shaw knew and he had claimed that she already did. But what, what did she know? What did Root herself know? What did she even want her to know? What would Shaw accept? And now, in this moment all that she did know for sure was that she was warm, and safe, and alive because of someone like her, someone who could interface with the Machine. As improbable as it may seem, she was not alone. And then she heard it, Her voice and the single word, “true”.

 

They looked into each others eyes for several moments and then with a shy smile Andi began to babble on nervously,  “Well, you have had a pretty big day. And you haven’t had any of your tea or cucumber sandwiches. I don’t know why I made cucumber sandwiches, except that I like them. So I guess that I just made them for myself really. I mean, I should have asked you what you would like. That would have been more polite. My mother, rest her soul, is probably dieing a thousand deaths. I mean, I have just kind of been ordering you around. And then I told you, well, everything. And, I don’t know. It’s just a lot to take in and all. I…”

 

And then Root reached out placing her hand on Andi’s cheek and brought their lips together before Andi could say another word. The kiss was soft and tender, with their lips barely parting. Root could tell that Andi had used a cinnamon toothpaste, her favorite, and for a moment she wondered if this had been planned. In fact, she wondered if She had planned it all along. As they lingered in their kiss they pulled each other closer. But there was no urgency or desperation in their actions, only comfort and a promise fulfilled - they were both alright.

 

Was it seconds, minutes, hours, days? Root didn’t know or care. To be sure, in the past, being in the throes of forms of desire Root had been physically close to someone before but not like this. Never had anyone touched her with such care and reverence. Her life had always been filled with so much pain and she translated pain into pleasure but there was no pain here in these moments and she wasn’t sure what to do when she didn’t have to command or demand an action or response. She had imagined so many times what it would be like to be with Shaw - all searing heat and teeth and nails, fast and furious to be sure. She had relished those thoughts even dreamed of them coming true. But she had never dreamed of the slow, luxurious strokes that Andi lavished her with. She had never imagined that she would respond to the myriad little kisses, strokes of only the barest of fingertips, slightest flicks of a tongue, and whispers of breath on her skin.

  
Finally, Root, her head swimming, her eyes unable to focuses, and her body full, reached out to Andi pulling their bodies so closely together that there was no room for darkness or light between them. They stilled, their breathing in sync and their hearts and pulse beats pounding and threading together. Andi’s strong arms encircled her but Root didn’t feel held, she felt free. She shifted in the embrace and Andi laced a deft hand through her hair and brought her face up to have their eyes meet. Oh those blue eyes. Root wasn’t sure whether she could swim in them or fly in them, just that she was sure that she could become lost in them. As Root laid her head on Andi’s shoulder a single finger traced across her lips and then up her jawline and behind her ear, “I want you to know, to be sure that you hear me. All these months, I could never imagine how beautiful your voice would be. I’m so glad that I can hear you now. It must be how She sounds to you. And even though I could see everything about you and even catch glimpses of you, I never imagined you would be so beautiful. I guess seeing is believing.”


End file.
